History of Oakland County Michigan a narrative account of its historic progress, its people, its principal interests / compiled from the official records of the county, the newspapers and data of personal interviews, under the editorial supervision of Thaddeus D. Seeley.

HISTORY OF OAKLAND COUNTY

165

a member of the Board of Regents and the Board of Education of the
state. Soon after this he removed from Pontiac to Tawas, Iosco county,
where he died.
"There has been some discrepancy as to the time when Origen D.
Richardson took up his residence in the county of Oakland. The court
records first show his active participation in legal proceedings on the 20th
day of July, I826. Mr. Richardson was born in Woodstock, Vermont,
July 20, I795. He studied his profession there; and while a student in
the office of his cousin, Israel B. Richardson, his patriotism induced him
to join the army. He was present and participated in the battle of Plattsburg. He continued in practice in Vermont until 1826, then he removed
to Pontiac. He was a patient, painstaking practitioner, and took a deep
interest in the affairs of his adopted state. For twenty years after Mr.
Richardson settled in Pontiac, his counsel was widely sought, and his
legal opinion had almost the effect of statutory law. He was cautious in
giving his advice. In his intercourse with his fellow citizens he was not
effusive, but was conservative, careful and courteous. He seldom had an
altercation with his associate attorneys, and was ever ready to lend a
helping hand in case of emergency. The result was that there was a
kindly feeling toward him, which added greatly to his popularity. Mr.
Richardson was a member of the first convention of assent relating to
the admission of Michigan into the Union, held at Ann Arbor in September, I836. He was also a member of the first legislature, which convened at Detroit, November, 1835, and was also a member of the Sixth
legislature, which convented at Detroit, January 4, I841.
"In the fall of I841, the time that John S. Barry was first elected
governor, Mr. Richardson was on the ticket with him for lieutenant
governor, and was elected to the office. He was reelected in I843. At
the termination of his office he returned to Pontiac and resumed the
duties of his profession until the fall of the year 1854, when he went to
Omaha, Nebraska. Soon after his arrival there he was elected to the
upper house of the first legislature, and was subsequently reelected for
the ensuing term. He was appointed one of the commissioners to revise
and codify the laws. Though nominally residing in Nebraska and holding official positions there, his family remained in Pontiac, and continued there until 1874, when they removed with Mr. Richardson to
Omaha. Mr. Richardson, after his final removal to Omaha, survived
only two years, dying November 30, I876. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson
had lived together nearly fifty years in the most happy relations, and
at his demise she was so stricken with grief that she survived him but
three days, and they were buried at the same time.
"Robert P. Eldredge was admitted to the bar in Oakland county,
November, 1828. He read law with Governor Richardson, and soon
after his admission to the bar he removed to Mt. Clemens, where he
located and resided until the time of his death.
"Seth A. L. Warner, one of the old and prominent attorneys at Oakland county, was born in Saybrook, Connecticut. After pursuing the
preliminary studies in the common schools of the country, he perfected
his education at Cambridge, Massachusetts. He afterwards located in
Tompkins county (now Schuyler), New York. He came to Michigan